Monday, February 21, 2011

I am please to announce the launch of CityDog 2.0, the go-to site to find all you need to know about living in the city you love with the four-legged love of your life; a place to discover some doggone great getaways, seek advice on health and behavior, search for pet-related businesses and services by category and neighborhood, find local dog-centric events, meet fellow dog lovers and shop for unique products for pooches and people. We invite you to join our online community today by creating a profile for you and your pooch and please visit the site often. We will be adding new content continuously as well as new cities!

With that said, we are also moving the CityDog Blog to our new site. Here is the link to the new blog, which we hope you will bookmark and continue to follow!

Due to the large expected turnout, please keep your dogs on a six foot leash (no retractables). If you are not sure your dog will be comfortable in a large crowd, please leave your pooch comfortably at home and we'll be sure to send you home with lots of goodies to share when you return!

The Dog Talk Show airs live on Wednesdays from 2-3pm on KKNW 1150 AM and streaming at www.1150kknw.com. The Dog Talk Show is also available as a free podcast on iTunes, and all shows are archived at: www.dogtalkshow.com.

Tuesday, January 18, 2011

Save Washington Pets (also known as Washington Alliance for Humane Legislation) is taking a lead role in advocating for passage of a bill that will strengthen our state's primary animal cruelty law, Chapter 16.52 RCW. We are pleased that this bill, SB 5065/HB 1147, is prime sponsored by Senator Mike Carrell (District 28) and Representative Mary Helen Roberts (District 21).

The bill eliminates gaps and weaknesses in the law that have made it easy for someone convicted of animal cruelty to be a repeat offender. We encourage you to support this bill's passage. Please see a detailed summary of the bill here.

On Monday, January 17, 2011, two companion animal spay/neuter assistance bills were introduced in the Washington State Legislature: Senate Bill 5151 and House Bill 1226. If passed, these bills will provide for up to 65,000 additional spay/neuter surgeries for cats and dogs in Washington through a network of private, nonprofit, and public spay/neuter clinics around the state. A small fee on dog and cat food (paid by companies that register pet food for sale in Washington) would fund the surgeries. Spay/neuter surgery would be made available to pets belonging to low-income residents, and to feral or free-roaming cats. Spay/neuter surgery is one of the most effective ways to prevent companion animal homelessness.

The benefits of these bills are humanitarian, of course, but they're much more. The bills would help reduce the tremendous burdens and costs incurred by local animal care and control agencies and animal shelters that are handling complaints, picking up stray animals, and impounding and sheltering tens of thousands of homeless animals each year. In addition, the bills can be expected to help reduce the risk of dog bite incidents by providing greater access to affordable and accessible spay/neuter surgery for dogs that otherwise are unlikely to be altered. (Studies have shown that altered dogs as a group are much less likely to cause serious bite injuries than unaltered dogs).

What can you do to help?Copies of SB 5151, HB 1226, and a spay/neuter bill flyer are available to download for your use. Please download the flyer and post it in your local coffee shops, break room at work, and anywhere else you think would be appropriate.

This spay/neuter legislation is endorsed by the Washington State Federation of Animal Care and Control Agencies; the Humane Society of the United States; the ASPCA; the Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association; over 75 local humane societies, animal rescue groups, and other animal welfare organizations; individual veterinarians; and thousands of individuals throughout Washington who care for companion animals.

Tuesday, January 04, 2011

Make 2011 a better year for pets and people by taking to heart a New Year’s resolution for your best four-legged friend. The Oregon Humane Society encourages everyone to adopt one (or more) of these Top Ten Resolutions to improve the lives of pets, people and homeless animals.

Repeat after us: In 2011, I resolve to show my love for my four-legged companion.

Here’s how:

Get a microchip ID for my pets to go along with their ID tags

Get exercise by walking my dog every day

Play with my cat every day

Remember to keep my pet fit and trim and refrain from using food as love

Pack a disaster preparedness “go pack” for my pet, just in case (with leash/food/medication and other necessities)

Teach humane treatment of animals to my children (you can even encourage their school to invite the OHS education team to make a classroom presentation)

Schedule my pet’s annual veterinarian appointment

Volunteer my time and talents at a local animal shelter to help homeless pets

Encourage friends, family, co-workers, and acquaintances to have their pets spayed or neutered

Give the gift of compassion with a monetary donation to my local animal shelter

Pet owners everywhere agree that pets come with perks, and numerous studies confirm the health benefits of their unconditional love, wagging tails, and calming purrs. Just ask Terry and Dave Cockrill who adopted Lucy, a 5-year-old Beagle mix, from the Seattle Humane Society. "Since adopting Lucy (and our other dog, Sammie), we've lost 80 pounds! We all go for long daily walks. It's been a real 'win win' for all of us," say the Cockrills.

Start your New Year off right and find the perfect furry exercise companion for your lifestyle at the Seattle Humane Society in Bellevue. Visit SHS online to see the Cockrills' before and after photos!

A Few Ways Pets are Great for Your Health:

Pets Can Help Build Immunity
Contrary to popular belief, pets can help prevent allergies in children, doctors say. When children grow up around animals, they are less likely to develop allergies, asthma or eczema because they build stronger immune systems.

Furry Stress Relief
Pets are great listeners and can be a source of solace for pet owners, helping to alleviate negative emotions like anger and grief. Pets also require a routine and help to organize a person's day, which can heavily reduce stress.

Healthier Lifestyle
Apart from having an organized, stress-reduced day, pet owners also get a moderate amount of exercise. Walking your dog twice a day helps you, and your dog, stay active and healthy. Playing indoors with your cat can help you work up a sweat, too!

Lower Cholesterol and Blood Pressure
People with pets tend to have lower cholesterol. Also, interacting with pets is proven to reduce blood pressure.

Make Pet Care a Family Affair
Pets can actually bring families closer and help them to achieve healthier lifestyles together! Sharing in the care and responsibility of pet ownership can be fun and rewarding when the whole family chips in. Spend your quality family time playing with and exercising your pet together - a walk in the park is great for everyone's health!

Monday, January 03, 2011

Best Friends Animal Society, which took in 22 of the dogs rescued from quarterback Michael Vick’s dog-fighting operation in 2008, has published a blog responding to the news that President Obama called the owner of the Philadelphia Eagles to congratulate him on giving Michael Vick a second chance.

Francis Battista, co-founder of Best Friends, wrote the blog on the Best Friends Animal Society web site, a tongue-in-cheek piece about what it would be like if the President were to call Best Friends and other organizations for their hard work in giving the rescued dogs a new lease on life. It's a great read!

Do you know of an animal who has changed someone's life for the better -- allowing them to go places, do things, or just enjoy life like they never could before? Likewise, perhaps you know a person who has helped animals in a unique way -- through rescuing dogs, sheltering cats, or providing other valuable services that had a positive impact on their lives.

The Oregon Humane Society is now accepting nominations for its OHS Heroes Luncheon presenting the Diamond Collar Hero Awards. The awards will honor animals who have acted to save a human or animal life in peril, performed services within the community with undying loyalty, or overcome incredible odds in order to survive. Winners can also be humans who have had a positive impact on the lives of animals, exhibiting courage and compassion in the pursuit of animals’ well being.

Past winners have include service dogs who helped disaster survivors, dogs who saved the lives of people and other animals, and individuals who have selflessly donated their time and energy to improve the welfare of animals in need (Pictured above: Simon, who awakened his sleeping owner and helped her escape from a burning building).

Award nominations are open to all two-and four-legged heroes and can be submitted until January 21, 2011. Nominations can be delivered to OHS or submitted online. All nomination forms should be returned to: Oregon Humane Society, Diamond Collar Committee, PO Box 11364, Portland, OR 97211, and postmarked by January 18 to assure arrival by January 21.

The winners will be notified in early February 2011 and will accept their awards at the OHS Heroes Luncheon to be held Thursday, February 17, 2011 at the Governor Hotel in downtown Portland.

About the event
The Diamond Collar Awards are a chance to celebrate the heroic stories that exemplify how important pets are in our lives and an opportunity to support the mission of the Oregon Humane Society. The OHS Heroes Luncheon presenting the Diamond Collar Awards will be held on Thursday, February 17, 2011 at the Governor Hotel, 614 SW 11th Avenue, Portland, OR 97205. Tickets are $55 a person.